Committee advances domestic‑worker labor protections after debate over cost

The House Labor Committee on executive session reported a proposed substitute to House Bill 23‑55 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation after a 6–3 roll call.

Kelly Leonard, staff to the committee, told members the bill would establish labor protections for domestic workers separate from the minimum wage act, extend protections to certain workers who sleep or reside at their employment, and allow workers to seek remedies by filing administrative complaints with the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) or bringing private causes of action. Staff also described a proposed substitute (H3278.1 from Representative Scott) that broadens an irregular babysitting exemption, removes a family‑leave notice requirement from the model disclosure statement, extends L&I rulemaking and enforcement authority on certain anti‑retaliation provisions, and removes political‑speech protections from the anti‑retaliation list.

Vice Chair Scott, speaking in favor of the substitute, said it "clarifies that the 30‑day timeline for a citation begins when the department issues its assessment" and noted the substitute "allows L&I to adopt rules to apply enforcement and remedies" while correcting typographical errors in the underlying bill. Representative Ortiz Self urged colleagues to support the measure, saying the domestic workforce is "majority women, often in very vulnerable situations" and recounting that constituents had traveled to testify.

Representative Ibarra registered opposition on fiscal grounds, saying the bill carries "a $2,500,000 fiscal note" and that the committee should avoid spending funds not in hand amid affordability concerns. After debate, staff called a roll; the announced result was 6 ayes and 3 nays with no excused or absent members, and the substitute was reported out with a due‑pass recommendation.

The committee's action advances the bill to the next stage of the legislative process; no final floor action is recorded here.